Every restaurant has always been "the best", every product has received "number one"
(Dan Tri) - From July 5, self-proclaimed "best", "most effective", "unique" advertisements must have supporting documents, otherwise they will be fined up to 20 million VND.
Everywhere I go I see "the best" and "the best"
Ms. Mai Anh (28 years old, Ho Chi Minh City) opened TikTok looking for a bun cha restaurant to take her family out to eat on the weekend.
When she typed the phrase "delicious bun cha restaurant", a series of videos immediately appeared. But what surprised her was that many of the videos in which the owner or recipient of the advertisement made firm assertions such as "this is the best bun cha restaurant".
"Every time I watch a video, I see another restaurant being introduced as the best. The more I watch, the more confused I become, in the end I don't know who to believe," Ms. Mai Anh said.
Not just the above cases. Wanting to find a coffee shop, milk tea shop, bakery, cosmetics, functional foods or many other types of products, users can easily encounter introductions such as "number one in the market", "best", "only", "no competitors".
On TikTok, Facebook or e-commerce platforms, affirmative phrases appear quite a lot but do not provide any data or documents to prove it.
There are new products launched just a few months ago that are promoted as "best sellers", or products that depend on each person's constitution such as cosmetics are also introduced as "best for all skin types".
Even many restaurants also label themselves "the best in Hanoi", "the best in Saigon" or "the national restaurant".
In the competition for attention in the digital environment, advertisements increasingly tend to be pushed to the highest level.
This makes it increasingly difficult for consumers to make choices, especially in the context of many KOLs and KOCs "hiding" in the shadow of personal experiences to advertise products.
With traditional advertising, consumers often assume that the message is designed for sales purposes and receive it with caution.
But when content is told in terms of personal experiences, that defense mechanism tends to drop.
According to MSc Nguyen Le Dinh Quy, an expert in the field of Marketing Communications, consumers not only buy products but also buy peace of mind.
When someone they follow says something like “this is the best product I've ever used,” that message is much more powerful than the slogan “our products are the best.”
The essence is the same but the difference lies in the emotions. It is this factor that makes personal experience an effective communication tool.
Therefore, in some cases, believing in recommendations such as "the most effective I have ever tried", "the best restaurant I know", consumers make unfounded decisions and receive an experience that is not as expected.
From July 5, if you want to receive "number one", you must have a basis
In the spirit of Circular 12/2026/TT-BVHTTDL effective from July 5, advertisements containing words that affirm the leading position, uniqueness, and absoluteness of products, goods and services must comply with stricter requirements.
In fact, the 2012 Advertising Law stipulates that advertising using the words "best", "only", "best", "number one" or words with similar meanings without legal documents to prove it is a prohibited act.
Decree 87/2026/ND-CP effective from May 15, 2026 also clarifies the penalty for the above behavior is from 10 to 20 million VND.
Advertising using the words "best", "best" and words with similar meanings without supporting documents can be fined up to 20 million VND along with additional sanctions (Graphic: AI).
At the same time, businesses and individuals will be subject to additional sanctions including:
- Deprivation of the right to use the product announcement registration receipt for 5 to 7 months.
- Revoking the right to use the Certificate of Advertising Content Confirmation from 22 months to 24 months in case of violation of health protection food advertising 02 times or more within 06 months.
Besides, it is forced to remove, dismantle, delete advertisements or recall printed newspaper and magazine advertising products.
According to Circular 12/2026/TT-BVHTTDL, organizations and individuals who want to advertise with leading words must have one of the following types of supporting documents:
- Market survey results of organizations established and operating legally, with market research functions.
- Certificates issued by competent agencies and organizations at national, regional or international competitions, exhibitions and awards that vote, rank, evaluate and recognize products, goods and services as "best", "unique", "best", "number one" or words of similar meaning.
Circular 12/2026/TT-BVHTTDL specifically regulates words with similar meanings "most", "best", "only" and legal documents to prove (Graphic: AI).
In particular, the time to use proof documents will depend on the duration of the certificate or market survey results.
Documents can only be used when ensuring independence, objectivity, honesty and not causing confusion for consumers, in accordance with relevant laws.
At the same time, the advertising product must clearly and accurately show the document name, number, symbol and time of announcement of market survey results or time of issuance of the prescribed certificate.
Regarding the process of requesting appraisal of advertising products, the Circular clearly states three steps as follows:
- Organizations and individuals wishing to evaluate advertising products send requests to the agency in charge of advising on state management of advertising at the central level according to Form No. 01 in the Appendix attached to the Circular.
- Upon receiving the request, the management agency establishes an Advertising Product Appraisal Council. The Council held a meeting to evaluate.
- Based on the meeting minutes, the management agency submits to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism to issue a conclusion on the conformity of advertising products with the provisions of law and send it to organizations and individuals.
See more:
- Advertising "disguised" as personal experience: Consumers are led by KOLs
- Why do KOL and KOC reviews have more weight than advertising?
- Hiding personal experience to advertise products is a violation of the law